Sustainable Lifestyle Campaign Testimonials

"The Green Living Program has demonstrated results and can make a real difference. In our work with communities across America this is exactly the sort of tool for which they are searching.”– Molly Olson, Executive Director President’s Council on Sustainable Development

"We are all optimistic here. You have the entire household involved in a voluntary way instead of having a program that is mandated by the government. This is at the most grassroots level possible, and that makes it more effective." – Mike Lindberg, Commissioner of Public Utilities, City of Portland, OR

"The potential resource savings are tremendous and what's truly exciting about the Green Living Program is that it can serve as a catalyst to creating a more sustainable community."– Ava Frisinger, Mayor, City of Issaquah, WA

"The Environmental Services Department has researched multiple programs and approaches to provide the desired proactive waste prevention education. EcoTeams were the only program that successfully produced measurable resource savings and sustained behavior change."– Alisa Wade, Environmental Services Department, City of San Jose, CA

"The Sustainable Lifestyle Campaign is a highly effective new tool for environmental protection. We see it as a significant opportunity to achieve citizen behavior change which has been one of our most difficult challenges in advancing environmental protection.”– Lang Marsh, Director, Oregon Department of Environmental Quality

"One of the most enlightening and useful programs that I have had the privilege to encounter. It provides a starting point for America's citizens and communities to begin the journey of becoming more sustainable."– Michele Perrault, President The Sierra Club

"A movement... of unquestionable zeal is challenging consumption at the grass roots...local support groups called EcoTeams are methodically helping members reduce the amount and kind of material that flows in and out of homes."– The New York Times

"This program is the first step-by-step plan for turning environmental concern into action."– The Chicago Tribune

"I had thought about all the things I should do and talked about doing them before the Green Living Program; but it took the workbook and group support to turn my thinking and talking into specific and concrete actions. And the changes were relatively easy."– Pat Spindel, EcoTeam Member, St. Louis, MO

"I feel this program is superb, not only because of what it has done for me, but because it has the potential to do so much for the community."– Krista M. Schauer, EcoTeam Member, Portland, OR

"This is no frivolous undertaking. It's not just a matter of getting new information. A lot of citizens already know things they could do to reduce the toll they take on the environment, but EcoTeams structured group meetings help people put that knowledge to work and actually change their lifestyles."– The Chattanooga Times

"I've lived in the neighborhood for 21 years, but getting to know my neighbors started three years ago with an EcoTeam. We knew a lot of people by sight, but now we know them much better. There is a lot more friendliness on the streets now. It's given us the feeling of being embedded in the community and having roots. I highly recommend the neighborhood EcoTeam process."– Sarah Conn, EcoTeam member, West Newton, MA

"The program offers a common sense approach to environmentalism. [One participant says] ‘I love our neighborhood and this is an opportunity for us to make it an even nicer place to live together’."– The Boston Globe

"The process works even for those who consider themselves hard-core environmentalists...[A senior sales executive and an EcoTeam member says] ‘As a result of the awareness the group has brought us, we all have changed our consumption habits and our lifestyles, in the products we purchase, [and] the utilities we use’."– The Philadelphia Inquirer

"The Green Living Program is the most practical and well implemented program to help people create environmentally sustainable lifestyles."– Daphne Gemmill, Executive Director, Project Earthlink, NOAA, U.S. Dept. of Commerce

"When you put things in small, workable chunks as the Green Living Program has done here, it’s easier for people to accomplish things and follow through."– Maria Sichel, EcoTeam member, Medway, MA

"EcoTeams provides a unique approach to help citizens deal with environmental issues. We have to change the attitudes and behaviors of every citizen, in every aspect of their lives, to the point where they automatically act sustainably."– David Crockett, City Councillor, City of Chattanooga, TN

"Unique and effective... Empowerment Institute is a model organization in its agenda and its leadership... responsible and enlightened."– Honorable Maurice Hinchey, Committee on Natural Resources, Congress of the United States

Become Certified as A Sustainable Lifestyle Campaign Leader

A Sustainable Lifestyle Campaign leader certification is based on Empowerement Institute's Social Change 2.0 community organizing framework. As part of the certification, you will learn how to facilitate an empowerment training, provide empowerment coaching, and use the Social Change 2.0 framework, strategies and skills to architect a transformational community intervention. You will also receive the Sustainable Lifestyle Campaign training scripts, organizing templates and guidance on how to customize the campaign to the unique needs of your community and project. Click here for more information on the certification program.

Sponsor A Sustainable Lifestyle Campaign Training

A Social Change 2.0 community organizing training for a local government, utility or civic organization wishing to implement a Sustainable Lifestyle Campaign. This training is customized to the needs of the community and organization. To learn more about this opportunity contact Empowerment Institute.

Learn About Social Change 2.0

To learn more about the Social Change 2.0 framework and research underpinning the Sustainable Lifestyle Campaign, read the free four-part series excerpted from Chapter 2 of Social Change 2.0:

Watch the video:

Green Living Handbook

A 6-Step Program to Create an Environmentally Sustainable Lifestyleby David Gershon.

The workbook contains eighty-one behavior change actions divided into six topics: solid waste reduction, water efficiency, energy efficiency, transportation efficiency, green purchasing and empowering others. It includes a sustainable lifestyle assessment which generates the pre- and post program household behavior change information. This provides households and funding partners quantifiable feedback on the behaviors taken and their environmental impacts.

Implement the Children's Version of the Green Living Program

Journey for the PlanetA Kid's Five Week Adventure to Create an Earth-friendly Life

Journey for the Planet is a children’s version of Green Living Program for kids 8 to 12 years old. This program can be delivered in a classroom, after-school club, youth organization or for children of adults taking part in an EcoTeam. It is complemented by a twenty-six-lesson plan educator’s curriculum called the “Coach’s Guide.” Empowerment Institute offers a Journey for the Planet teacher certification. For more information click here.

Sustainable Lifestyle Campaign Testimonials

"The program offers a common sense approach to environmentalism. [One participant says] ‘I love our neighborhood and this is an opportunity for us to make it an even nicer place to live together.’"– The Boston Globe